Figure Drawing on the Run

What have I been doing for a month? Well…. first there was a Saturday figure drawing workshop by Heather Clements at Studio b., followed by the regular Wednesday night figure drawing session, a trip to Chattanooga with two friends to do a 6-mile stand-up paddle race, and then the opening of Studio b.’s “Figure It Out” figurative art show, and this week, helping receive the art for the upcoming figurative show presented by the A+Art Committee of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County at the South Walton campus of Northwest Florida State College, then another regular Wednesday night figure drawing session, and today, the orientation meeting for my upcoming service on the CAA board, meanwhile trying to maintain my life routines and keep up with my “day job” (my businesses)… it’s been a little hectic lately. I’ve tried not to sacrifice anything, until this week when I absolutely had to give up my morning workouts to gain another couple of hours every day. I managed to get in a little creekside hike with a couple of friends last Saturday, a yoga session at Balance Health Studio and a glass of juice at Raw and Juicy with another friend on Sunday. I missed my Monday night meditation group meeting because I’m sitting the gallery at Studio b. every evening this week. So, you see, it’s been crazy-busy lately. I don’t like to be this busy. Even during quiet moments at the gallery, I’m catching up on some business work, except tonight when I’m evaluating my life while I blog about it. But I guess you can tell, figure drawing would be the last thing I would give up. I think that’s how it is for figurative artists. As I look at all the drawings and paintings here at Studio b. for this show, I am realizing that all of the artists represented are compelled to draw. We draw for the sheer pleasure of it. We pay a small fee to be here, and we pay the model with tips, and we collect our own art — mine is stacked high on a shelf in my house, with only a few pieces framed and hanging. It actually was a pleasant surprise to me when pieces started selling out of the show. Below are the drawings that sold on opening night.

18 x 24

14 x 24

14 x 20

18 x 24

Here are a couple of photos from opening night. The atmosphere was casual and friendly. In one gallery Colleen Duffley, owner of Studio b., had hired a model and set up easels and supplies for the guests to try their hand at figure drawing, and several did try!

You might notice that I draw in many different styles. Supposedly an accomplished artist becomes recognizable by their style. If that is the case, my work might never be recognizably mine, because I like to approach the figure differently almost every time I draw. Of course, the usual challenges remain, due to the time constraints of any given pose, so there may be proportional problems, like the drawing at left that I made a couple of weeks ago, where I think I made the head a good bit larger than it really was, in proportion to the rest of the figure. This week I focused on what may become my style, because I like the quality of the expression — it feels comfortable, it feels like “me”. The drawings below are from last night’s session, and my favorite is the last drawing. Click on any of the drawings for a larger view.

Most of my images are available for purchase. Contact me if you are interested. — Joan Vienot